Boat cleaning fatality - Fort Myers, Florida

[DandyDon]

Diver dies while cleaning boat at Fort Myers marina

A diver died while cleaning underneath a boat at a Fort Myers marina Monday afternoon.

Officers are investigating the accidental death of the man, who has not been identified pending next-of-kin notification, said Capt. Jim Mulligan, with Fort Myers police.

The man was found floating in The Marina at Edison Ford about an hour after he went out to starting cleaning, Mulligan said.

Police have been at the marina by Pinchers in the 2300 block of West First Street since they were called there for the drowning. about 1:30 p.m.

"We’re still on scene and still in the investigative stages," said Sgt. Jason Pate.

"There are no signs of foul play and it appears natural or accidental," the agency said.

 

[iamrushman]

Condolences to the friends and family...

 

[clownfishsydney]

Awful to hear. This also happened to someone I vaguely knew when cleaning the hull of his boat in Sydney. I never did hear exactly what happeneed, but I always presumed he ran out of air and was probably weighted a bit more than you would normally, he drowned.

 

[DandyDon]

Awful to hear. This also happened to someone I vaguely knew when cleaning the hull of his boat in Sydney. I never did hear exactly what happeneed, but I always presumed he ran out of air and was probably weighted a bit more than you would normally, he drowned.

I'd think it'd be a project that seemed so benign that many would not bother looking for a buddy, and focused on work in shallow water - not watching the air gauge. Without overhead obstructions or entanglement risks, an OOA should lead to an easy escape - but with those risks, possibly heavily weighted for the job, just dropping weights wouldn't work well even if a diver thought of ditching.

 

[ReefGuy]

That's odd, I didn't hear a thing about that.

There are a lot of possibilities. Including electrical current.

 

[BarqueCat]

I came here looking for more info - but I guess nothing more has been released.

 

[fstbttms]

There are a lot of possibilities. Including electrical current.

Unlikely, in saltwater. Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) ocurrs almost exclusively in freshwater.


Here's more- apparently his tank valve was closed when they found him:

Questions linger for family after diver's death
Posted: Jun 17, 2015 3:30 PM PDTUpdated: Jun 17, 2015 4:05 PM PDT
By Bryan Anderson, NBC2 Investigator

• 
  LEE COUNTY, FL -
  
  We're hearing from the family of a local scuba diver who mysteriously died in the gulf last weekend.
  Jerry Francis' sister and niece sat down exclusively with us.
  
  Francis' family said he was a diver with at least 50 dives under his belt, which makes some new information they shared that much more bizarre.
  
  Francis' niece Jamie Warren said: "It was a Lee County officer and somebody from the Coast Guard. They said that it was turned off. The tank was in the off mode, meaning that he wasn't getting any air."
  
  It's an unsettling detail of her uncle's death that Jamie Warren can't make sense of.
  
  "How did it get turned off? Was it turned off before? Turned off in the water? Who turned it off?" Jamie Warren asked.
  
  Three days ago sheriff's divers found Jerry Francis' body.
  
  On Wednesday closure for his family remains in the hands of the US Coast Guard, which is the lead investigator into his death.
  
  His sister Anne Warren said: "They say that's under investigation, that's under investigation. So I get absolutely no closure or any response."
  
  "You're out in the water yelling for help and nobody's helping you. There has to be some accountability? Who was on that boat?" asked Anne Warren.
  
  They have so many questions about their loved one's final moments so far out at sea - it seems impossible to plan for their final goodbyes.
  
  "I just wish he was here. I thought we would grow old together," said Anne Warren.
  
  Francis' family said initially they thought he might have had a heart attack because they say he had diabetes and high blood pressure.
  
  But after finding out about the air tank allegedly being off, they're suspicious.

 

[undrwater]

Roll-off?

 

[krsy]

This article from the NBC-2 article refers to a death that occurred last year. Note article posted June 17, 2015. Not the same incident. (bold and underline added for ease of reference)

Unlikely, in saltwater. Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) ocurrs almost exclusively in freshwater.


Here's more- apparently his tank valve was closed when they found him:

Questions linger for family after diver's death
Posted: Jun 17, 2015 3:30 PM PDTUpdated: Jun 17, 2015 4:05 PM PDT
By Bryan Anderson, NBC2 Investigator

• 
  LEE COUNTY, FL -
  
  We're hearing from the family of a local scuba diver who mysteriously died in the gulf last weekend.
  Jerry Francis' sister and niece sat down exclusively with us.
  
  Francis' family said he was a diver with at least 50 dives under his belt, which makes some new information they shared that much more bizarre.
  
  Francis' niece Jamie Warren said: "It was a Lee County officer and somebody from the Coast Guard. They said that it was turned off. The tank was in the off mode, meaning that he wasn't getting any air."
  
  It's an unsettling detail of her uncle's death that Jamie Warren can't make sense of.
  
  "How did it get turned off? Was it turned off before? Turned off in the water? Who turned it off?" Jamie Warren asked.
  
  Three days ago sheriff's divers found Jerry Francis' body.
  
  On Wednesday closure for his family remains in the hands of the US Coast Guard, which is the lead investigator into his death.
  
  His sister Anne Warren said: "They say that's under investigation, that's under investigation. So I get absolutely no closure or any response."
  
  "You're out in the water yelling for help and nobody's helping you. There has to be some accountability? Who was on that boat?" asked Anne Warren.
  
  They have so many questions about their loved one's final moments so far out at sea - it seems impossible to plan for their final goodbyes.
  
  "I just wish he was here. I thought we would grow old together," said Anne Warren.
  
  Francis' family said initially they thought he might have had a heart attack because they say he had diabetes and high blood pressure.
  
  But after finding out about the air tank allegedly being off, they're suspicious.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Jumped in without turning his air on? Only real possibility.